Stalk breaker



W. H. KEUNE STALK BREAKER Filed March 26, 1927 LGMLZW 2 Sheets-Sheet l ug. 7, 1928. wwzm W. H. KEUNE S TALK BREAKER Filed March 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 7, 1928. 4 r

. WiL'LIAM. H. KEUNE, OF CARLINVILLE, ILLINOIS.

STALK BREAKER.

Application filed March 26, 19 27. 7 Serial No. 178,628.

This invention relates to a stalk breaker said ends being also connected to the adapted for use with a tractor, and has for side members 2 by braces 7. Dependent and one object to provide a means for breakrearwardly curved stalk aligning fingers 8 ing down stalks in afield preparatory to are mounted in spaced relation on said cross 5 the breaking or plowing of the ground. member 4- The rear ends of the side mem- 60 Another object is to provide such a device here 2 terminate in brackets 9, whereby said which may be attached permanently to the frame may be secured to the chassislO of tractorif desired, but maybe folded up out the tractor 11 by clamps 12. of the way, to facilitate the movement of The pivotal joints 3 in each of the articuthe tractor over roads and fields. lated side members 2 comprise a fork 13 65 Another object is to provide such a de formed in the forward end of the rearward vice adapted to resiliently yield relatively member 2*, said fork 13 embracing the rear to the tractor so as to readily traverse the end of the forward member 2 and being undulations of the ground over which the pivoted thereto by a pin 14. The free rear 15 device is moved. end 15 of each forward member 2 extends 70 Another object is to providemeans on back beyond said fork and is adapted to said device whereby the stalks as broken bear upwardly against the bight of the reardown will be aligned with the direction of ward member 2". An adjustment set screw movement of the tractor, thereby readily 16 is tapped through the bight of each rear- 20 facilitating the plowingunder of the stalks ward member 2 and engages the biglit of 75 when the ground is replowed. said end 15 of the forward member 2.

With the above and otherobjects in view, Normally the forward members 2 are posimy invention consists in the combination tioned in horizontal alignment with the and arrangement of parts hereinafter derearward members 2 but by adjusting the scribed andclaimed, and more particularly projection of the set screws 16 into the 80 illustrated in the accompanying drawings, rearward members 2 so as to cause the ends whereinv V of the set screws to engage the bights of Figure 1 is a plan view of thedevice; the free ends 15 of the forward members Figure 2 is an. end .view of Figure 1; 2, said forward .members mav be cau ed Figure 3 isv a side view of the device to assume a slight vertical angular dis- 85 associated with a tractor as in use; placement from their horizont l relat on to Figure 4 is aiview similar to Figure 3, the rearward members. Bv this me ns the but showing the device folded up out of the height of the cross member or renlmr ba way; mav be varied. as mav be desirable in Figure 5 is a detail showing the pivotal the operation of the device. W joint ofthe articulated side members of the A dependent bracket 1 is mounted n device. each rearward member 2 and a l tch bar Figure 6 is a view along the line 6-6 18 is pivotally connected at 22 to sa d brackof Figure 3. et intermediatelv of the ends of the latch 40 Referring now more particularlyto the bar: the said latch barnormallv e tepds 1- drawings, my invention comprises a frame vertically and is restrained in such vertical 1, having articulated, inverted U-shaped side position as by the upper end of the latch members 2. Each side member comprises bar engaging a latch 19 mounted on the a forwardly disposed member 2 and a rear bracket 17. The lower end of each latch member 2", the said forward member and bar 18 is tensionallv connected. as by a the said rear member being articulated as spring 20 to a dependent bracket 21 mountby a pivotal joint 3. The said side memed on each forward member 2% By this bers 2 are connectedtogether at their in means the forward members 2 will yield tended forward ends by a cross member or relatively to the rearward members 2 breaker bar 4:. said cross member having its against the tension of said springs 20. and 5 ends 5 extended and curved outwardly and so as to perm t the shoes 6 to fol ow the imforwardly of the frame as a whole, in a dulations of the ground over which the dehorn-like manner. Arcuate ground engagvice is traveling. ing shoes 6 are mounted and depend from In use, the device is mounted on a tractor the lateral extremities of the said ends 5; chassis 10 by the clamps 12 engaging the brackets 9, as heretofore described. The movement of the tractor of course moves the device over the ground in front of the tractor, thus breaking down any stalks that may be inthe path of travel. As the stalks Y are broken down, the broken stalks. are

aligned with the oath of travel of the tractor by means 0' the aligning fingers 8 mounted onthe breaker bar 4. As the ground is traversed, the device accommodates its'elf to the undulations "of the bar 18 is disengaged from the latch 19,

whereupon the tension of the spring is released, and the forward members 2 and front of the tractor; and ground shoesyand stalk aligning fingers depending from the the cross member or breaker bar4 with them may be folded up over the rearward members 2 As heretofore described, the height of the cross bar relatively to the ground may be varied by adjusting the set screw 16, and normally the device would be so adjusted that it would be supported ontirely from itsconnection with the tractor,

r and so that the shoes 6 would clear the ground, the normal function of the said shoesbeing merely to impinge the higher ground undulations to prevent the device from jamming intothe ground. The hornlike arrangement of the bar 4 tends to embrace and draw inwardly the stalks with which it comes in contact, thus increasing the efiiciency of the device.

While I have herein described alcertain specific manner and method of constructing and assembling the. elements of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention, so as best to construct a practical device for the purthe frame,

pose intended, as 'defined'in the appended claimsa I claim: I V

'1. 'Astalk breaker for tractors, comprising a frame for mounting at the front of the tractor, the said frame including a hornlike stalk breaking bar at its forward end.

AstalkQbreakerfor tractors, comprisinga frame for mounting at the. front of the tractor; ground'shoes dependinglfrom nd stalk aligning fingers dependingfromtheframe. V Y A stalk breaker for tractors, comprising an articulated frame for mounting at the front of the tractor; and ground -shoes and stalkf aligning fingers depending from the frame,

41A stalk breakerfor tract0rs, comprising a flexibleframefor' mounting at the frame.

5. A stalk breaker for tractors, compris' ing a frame for mounting'at the 'front of the tractor, said frame including forward and rear sections 'hinged "together, whereby *the forward section 1s adapted to be turned back rearwardly over the rear sectionyand ground shoes and stalk aligning fingers depending from the forward section.

6. In a device of the-kind described, a

spring set articulatedside member comprising front and rear elements, and means for ad ustably vary ng the vertical allgnment of said front element'relatively tosaid rear element.

7,'A stalk breaking frame for mounting at the front of a tractor, the said frame being resiliently articulated for the" vertical movement of its frontalsection. p i' 1 In testimonyvvhereof I affix my. signature.

j fvVILnIA H. KEUNE. 

